Code of Conduct for players to be ready soon: Uma
"The Code of Conduct is almost ready and we will soon announce it," Sports Minister Uma Bharti told PTI, adding that these should be implemented by the States as well as the National Sports Federations
20-Apr-2001
"The Code of Conduct is almost ready and we will soon announce it,"
Sports Minister Uma Bharti told PTI, adding that these should be
implemented by the States as well as the National Sports Federations.
Sports being in the State List, the Government had to take the views
of all the States, which unanimously favoured the Centre's initiative
to rein in players in the wake of the CBI report indicting several top
cricketers for their alleged involvement in the match-fixing and
betting scandal, the Minister said.
She said the Government was of the view that the Code should be
implemented by the Federations themselves and for this they would be
taken into confidence before announcing it. "Cricket se to hamari
ankhen khuli hein (It was the scandal in cricket which opened our eyes
to the menace)," Bharti said adding the "too much commercialisation of
the game has brought it to such an impasse."
The Code of Conduct was prepared after studying those of various
countries and the provisions made there in, the Sports Minister
said."All the points which were found good enough to stop the menace
of match-fixing have been considered favourably and views of experts
in various fields were taken for preparing the Code of Conduct for
Indian players," she said. Asked whether CBI was still continuing its
probe in the match-fixing and betting scandal which originated with
Delhi Police taping the conversation between disgraced South Afrcian
captain Hansie Cronje and a bookie, Bharti said "no more inquiry is
being conducted by CBI at present."
She said the Government was not against cricketers getting good money
from the game as their playing career was short. "But we are against
too much commercialisation which lures players to look for easier
options to make money," Bharti added.
"If commercialisation of cricket becomes the sole motive of the
organisers, then it no longer stays a game but becomes business. And
this is what the Government wants to stop," the Sports Minister said.